Four way hydrant valve

ABSTRACT

A valve for controlling water to a fire hose having a main valve chamber with a butterfly valve, said chamber having an inlet and an outlet for 4 1/2 inch ID fire hose. A separate conduit having an inlet and an outlet for 2 1/2 inch ID fire hose has an intermediate opening communicating with said chamber upstream of the butterfly valve. Another valve closes said opening when the pressure at the inlet of said separate conduit exceeds the pressure in said main valve chamber.

llnited htates Fatent Hughes et a1,

1 1 Mar. 18, 1975 FOUR WAY HYDRAN'T VALVE [76] Inventors: Robert '1.Hughes, 10533 Tolling Clock Way, Columbia, Md. 21044; R. HurleyMatthews, PO. Box 662, Bel Air, Md. 21014 22 Filed: Nov. 26, 1973 21Appl. No: 418,860

[52] US. Cl 2511/104, 137/569, 137/599.1, 137/610 [51] lnt. Cl. Flfilt35/00 [58] Field 011' Search 251/104, 308, 90; 137/569, 137/5991, 385,610

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,750,927 3/1930 Diez137/569 Hyd ron l -42 1,937,597 12/1933 Schmidt l 137/5991 2,552,1175/1951 Roswell... 251/308 2,836,197 5/1958 Johnson 137/5991 X 3,648,9703/1972 Hartmann et a1 251/104 Primary Examiner-Henry T. Klinksiek [57]ABSTRACT A valve for controlling water to a fire hose having a mainvalve chamber with a butterfly valve, said chamber having an inlet andan outlet for 4 ,5 inch ID fire hose, A separate conduit having an inletand an outlet for 2 /6 inch 1D fire hose has an intermediate openingcommunicating with said chamber upstream of the butterfly valve. Anothervalve closes said opening when the pressure at the inlet of saidseparate conduit exceeds the pressure in said main. valve chamber.

6 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTED 81975 sum 2 or g BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION Most of the fire alarms responded to by fire companies aresmall fires which may be extinguished by the water carried in a tank onthe fire apparatus; but when they respond to large fires, this amount ofwater is not nearly sufficient, and the apparatus must be connected tosome available water source near the site of the fire and make maximumuse of that water to prevent as much loss of life and property aspossible. The most common available source of water is the fire hydrant.The primary objective of the fire companies for a large fire then is toget the largest amount of available water from these hydrants onto thefire in the minimum amount of time.

There are several types of valves or devices in use that are connectedto the fire hydrants for the aforementioned purpose. However, they allhave some disadvantages, either in their mode or method of operation, inthat they may be difficult to manipulate or complicated and difficult tounderstand the method of operation, or they may restrict the amount ofwater available from the hydrant to which they are connected, in that bydesign the areas of the water ways in the valves are much less than theareas of the water ways in the hydrant. Representative examples of thistype of valve are disclosed in US. Pat. No. 1,351,781 issued to T. H.Meushaw and C. J. Diez Sept. 7, 1920, and US. Pat. No. 1,750,927 issuedto C. J. Diez March 18, I930.

The valve U.S. Pat. No. 1,351,781 requires the use of a separate wrenchto operate one of its interior valves; the valve after being connectedto the hydrant may be turned upside down by the force of a connectedline being pressurized, being upside down it is very difficult for theoperator to know which position the interior valves are in. The manualcontrols of the valve require unnecessary amounts of time to operate. Inboth this valve and the valve US. Pat. No. 1,750,927, the water ways, bydesign, are restrictive in that a considerable amount of the areaavailable for water flow is taken up by the controlling valve and itssupporting means when the valve is in the open position. Both valves areunnecessarily heavy and bulky, making it difficult for the operator toconnect them to the hydrant. Both valves, by design, require the firecompany to obtain a new valve if the company has to change or desires tochange the type or size thread on their connectors. In addition, allappliances and valves when operating under pump pressure have a givenamount of pressure loss due to the friction between the moving water andthe interior surfaces of the valve. In both these valves an unnecessaryamount of pressure is lost, in that by design both valves require thatthe water flow, under pressure, change its direction of flow more than90 causing more pressure loss due to friction and turbulence produced bythis change in direction of flow. Neither valve provides for a positivelock in the open or closed positions, which is desirable becauseinadvertent shutdown of a line of water flow may cause injury.

In its more detailed nature the invention provides a four-way valveembodying certain new and useful im provements over the connector leadsdisclosed in US. Pat. No. 1,351,781 and US. Pat. No. 1,750,927. A moresimple and compact structure is provided including simplified valvestructures. One valve is manually operated with a positive lock for theopen and closed 2 positions. One valve is automatically actuated tocontrol the lower pressure stream distribution and the change to pumppressure distribution without break of flow or loss of pressure belowhydrant pressure at any t1me.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention has for its object to provide asimple and compact four-way valve which may be carried by the pumpingapparatus, having the valve preconnected to a discharge line in the hosebed of the pumping apparatus. The valve incorporates both manually andautomatically actuable valves.

The valve is connected to a fire hydrant, water flows into the mainvalve body and is restricted from exiting the main valve chamber at themain valve outlet by a butterfly valve closing the outlet. Water is,however,

directed through a passage between the main valve chamber to a conduit,through the conduit to a small outlet adapted for a hose connection andthe stream of water may be played on the fire. Hydrant water pressurecauses a clapper valve to close the other inlet at the opposite end ofthe conduit.

If more water is needed from this hydrant a second pumper would lay twolines from the fireground to the hydrant. Arriving at the hydrant hewould connect a large suction hose to the main valve body adapted forthis hose. Opening the butterfly valve would then supply water from thehydrant through the main valve chamber to the pumper to boost the twolines laid by the pumper to pump pressure. To increase the first linefrom hydrant pressure to pump pressure a line is connected from thedischarge side of the pump to the inlet of the conduit. Water enteringthe conduit is of greater pressure than that in the main valve chamberand the clapper valve closes the opening between the conduit and themain valve chamber providing a pump pressure stream directly through theconduit to the fire hose on the opposite end. This permits the use of adirect hydrant pressure stream and subsequent connection of a pumper tosupply additional lines and change initial hydrant pressure stream to apump pressure stream without shutting down the hydrant or the initialhydrant stream.

Our invention consists in the novel detail of construction, combinationand arrangement of parts; all of which will be fully described in thefollowing detailed descriptions. Other objects will in part be obviousand in part be pointed out herein.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top view of the valve.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an end view taken on 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a half section taken on. 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a section taken on 5.5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a detail of the handle and latching mechamsm.

FIG. 7 is an additional detail of the handle and latching mechanism.

FIG. 8 is a front elevation of the butterfly disc.

FIG. 9 is a section taken on 9-9 of FIG. 8.

The four-way valve which is the subject matter of our invention isperferably carried by the fire apparatus with a distribution line 39preconnected at outlet 13. The valve would be dropped off of theapparatus at the hydrant 42 and while the valve is being connected tothe large connector of the hydrant 42 at valve inlet 11, the apparatussimultaneously would be laying out the preconnected distribution line 39to the fireground. Upon a signal from the pump operator the hydrant 42is charged. When the hydrant 42 is charged, water flow comes into themain valve chamber 18 and is sufficiently restricted from exiting themain valve chamber 18 at the large outlet 12 by the butterfly valve 15.Water then flows from the main valve chamber through passage 19 into thesmaller valve chamber 20, automatically closing the clapper valve 21against valve seats 22 preventing water flow out of small inlet 14 anddirecting hydrant pressure flow through small outlet 13 supplyinghydrant pressure to the laid hose line. The tireman has the option ofeither connecting the laid line 39 to a nozzle and playing a steam ofhydrant pressure on the fire or connecting the laid line 39 to thesuction side of his pump and playing a stream of pump pressure on thefire. If needed a second pumper would then lay two hose lines from theflreground to the hydrant with the second pumper positioned at thehydrant. Once there he would connect his two laid lines to the dischargeside of his pumper and at the same time connect a large suction hose 40from the suction side of his pumper to the large male outlet 12 of thevalve, open the butterfly valve 15 by moving handle 16 connected toshaft 17, allowing hydrant pressure water to flow through the main valvechamber 18 from the large hydrant inlet 11 to the large outlet 12through the large suction hose 40 to the suction side of the pump,boosting it to pump pressure to supply the two previously laid lines tothe fireground. Simultaneously a discharge hose line 41 is connectedfrom the pressure side of the second pumper to the small inlet 14. Thepump pressure entering the small valve chamber 20, being of greaterpressure than the hydrant pressure existing in the chamber causes theclapper valve 21 to automatically close the passage 19 between the twovalve chambers at valve seats 23, providing a direct pump pressurestream through the small valve chamber 20 through the small male outlet13 to the hose line 39 laid by the first pumper. All this being donewithout interrupting flow or reducing pressure below hydrant pressure atany time.

A handle of the type and design illustrated is provided for a three foldpurpose; one, to provide a positive lock in the open or closed positionto prevent an inadvertent change of position of the butterfly valve bybumping the handle accidentally; two, to allow for infinite adjustmentof the closed position of the butterfly valve; three, the handleposition indicates the position of the valve in that it is in line withthe valve body and the flow of water in the open position and across thevalve body and across the flow of water in the closed position.

The handle 16 and the butterfly valve 15 are attached to shaft 17 in thesame plane. The shaft 17 projects through the main valve body 24 and theshaft support and seal 25 through the adjusting collar 26 to which isattached an indexing plate 27. The handle 16 is attached to the shaft 17with a bolt 28. FIGS. 6 and 7 show the valve handle in the openposition. To close the butterfly valve 15 the operator would grasphandle 16 and simultaneously depress index pin 29 allowing it to clearthe open index point 30, move the valve handle 16 to the closed stop 31,release the index pin 29 and spring 32 will position the index pin 29into the closed index position 33 locking the butterfly valve 15 in theclosed position.

The butterfly valve 15 is a brass plate disc of elliptical shape mountedalong the center-line of the shaft 17. The disc is machined to fit theinside diameter of the main valve chamber 18. As a result of themachining, a particular or peculiar edge is a result. At two points onthe circumference of the disc 44 and 45, the edge is exactly to thebroad flat surface of the disc; three holes 46 are drilled through thedisc along a line directly between these two 90 points. The disc ismounted in a slot 47 in the center of the shaft along the centerline ofthe longitudinal axis of the shaft. Three holes are drilled through theshaft across the slot. The disc is aligned in the shaft by these holesin the shaft and corresponding holes in the disc. Three bolts 48 securethe disc to the shaft.

As stated before, at two points 44 and 45 along the circumference of thedisc, the surface of the edge is 90 to the surface of both the front andback of the disc. Moving around the circumference of the disc from thesepoints to a point 90 away 49, the surface of the edge is 15 to thesurface of the front on one side and 15 to the surface of the back onthe other side 50.

This design provides a two-fold purpose, one being a seal between thebutterfly edge and the cylinder wall of the chamber with the mostsurface available from the disc when mounted in the chamber l5 from aline perpendicular to the centerline of the valve chambers longitudinalaxis; two, having a disc of this character prevents the operator fromturning the valve over center, the more pressure applied to go overcenter, the better the seal around the valve. In addition, the designprovides for easy operation regardless of water pressure in the valve;the force required to change the valve position is the same becausewhatever water pressure is opposing valve movement on one half thesurface of the valve, the same water pressure is assisting the movementon the other half.

The butterfly valve, through normal use, may, over a long period oftime, become worn so that greater amounts of water may leak by thevalve. The purpose of the butterfly valve is not to provide a leak-proofseal but to restrict water flow sufficiently enough to make thenecessary hose connections. A simple and easy means of adjusting theclosed position of the valve in relation to the handle and its positivelock is provided so that a sufficient seal can be obtained whennecessary. This is accomplished by loosening the clamp 34, grasping thehandle 16 while locked in the closed position, being careful not topress the index pin 29, the operator rotates the handle as far aspossible toward the closed position, and while maintaining this closingpressure retightens the clamp 34. This provides a new closed positionand a better seal for the butterfly valve.

There are several types of threads in use in the fire fighting industry,National Standard, Baltimore Steamer, etc. For this reason our inventionby design was developed to accommodate hose connectors and hydrantconnectors of any type and size by attaching other connenctors at points35, 36, 37, and 38 of the main valve body 24. The water volume capacityof the water ways of the valve are of sufficient size so as not to limitthe available capacity of up to and including 3 /2 service hose line andup to and including 6 inch suction lines lines and 6 inch hydrantconnectors.

The operable parts of this four-way valve through their simplicity ofdesign and construction provide for easy in-house maintenance, whetherit be only lubrication or repair and replacement of parts.

From the foregoing description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it is thought that the novel details of construction, themanner in which it is used and the advantages of our invention will bereadily apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates.

We claim:

1. A valve system for controlling flow of water to a fire hosecomprising a main valve body having a water inlet adapted to receivewater from a fire hydrant and a water outlet adapted to feed water to afire hose, a butterfly valve means in said body for controlling flow ofwater from said inlet to said outlet, a conduit having an inlet adaptedfor connection to a fire hose and an outlet also adapted for connectionto a fire hose, the inlet and the outlet of said conduit beingsubstantially coaxial to provide a direct straight path for the flow ofwater through the conduit whereby to minimize pressure losses, saidconduit having an opening intermediate of the inlet and the outlet ofsaid conduit and in communication with said main valve body upstream ofthe butterfly valve to permit flow of water from said main valve body tosaid conduit, and valve means at said opening operable in response: tohigher pressure at the inlet of the conduit than exists in said mainvalve body for closing the opening that allows water flow from said mainvalve body to said conduit.

2. A valve system as defined in claim 1 having a handle outside the mainvalve body for controlling the position of the butterfly valve, theposition of the handle being an indication whether the butterfly valveis open or closed.

3. A valve system as defined in claim 2 including latching means forholding the butterfly valve in open position.

4. A valve system as defined in claim 2 including latching means forholding the butterfly valve closed position.

5. A valve system as defined in claim 2 including latching means forholding the butterfly valve in open position and additional latchingmeans for holding the butterfly valve in closed position.

6. A valve system as defined in claim 5 in which the inlet and outlet ofsaid chamber are coaxial to provide a direct straight path for the flowof water through the conduit whereby to minimize losses.

1. A valve system for controlling flow of water to a fire hosecomprising a main valve body having a water inlet adapted to receivewater from a fire hydrant and a water outlet adapted to feed water to afire hose, a butterfly valve means in said body for controlling flow ofwater from said inlet to said outlet, a conduit having an inlet adaptedfor connection to a fire hose and an outlet also adapted for connectionto a fire hose, the inlet and the outlet of said conduit beingsubstantially coaxial to provide a direct straight path for the flow ofwater through the conduit whEreby to minimize pressure losses, saidconduit having an opening intermediate of the inlet and the outlet ofsaid conduit and in communication with said main valve body upstream ofthe butterfly valve to permit flow of water from said main valve body tosaid conduit, and valve means at said opening operable in response tohigher pressure at the inlet of the conduit than exists in said mainvalve body for closing the opening that allows water flow from said mainvalve body to said conduit.
 2. A valve system as defined in claim 1having a handle outside the main valve body for controlling the positionof the butterfly valve, the position of the handle being an indicationwhether the butterfly valve is open or closed.
 3. A valve system asdefined in claim 2 including latching means for holding the butterflyvalve in open position.
 4. A valve system as defined in claim 2including latching means for holding the butterfly valve closedposition.
 5. A valve system as defined in claim 2 including latchingmeans for holding the butterfly valve in open position and additionallatching means for holding the butterfly valve in closed position.
 6. Avalve system as defined in claim 5 in which the inlet and outlet of saidchamber are coaxial to provide a direct straight path for the flow ofwater through the conduit whereby to minimize losses.